“I’ll start a fire. Get undressed while I get your bath running. You’re coveredinsoot.”
She glanced down at her formerly white robe which had been painted gray with ash. “I guessIam.”
“I’ll be right back,honey.”
He hurried into the bathroom and turned the faucet on as hot as it would go. Steam billowed up to warm the room. He waited until the tub was half filled before turning it off. After testing it with his hand, he added a little cold water. Too hot and it would scaldherskin.
The faint patter of feet signaled her arrival. He turned and took in the sight of her supple, naked body. His heart skipped around in his chest. He’d never met a woman more beautiful than her. Even soot-covered and exhausted, she glowed as if lit by an internalwarmth.
“You’re staring,”shesaid.
“I... you’re justso…Kate…”
“Now you’re babbling,” she said with a slightsmile.
He couldn’t help but return her smile as he helped her into the tub. “Is ittoohot?”
“It’sperfect.”
As she slid into the water, his bear panted. Every inch of her sensual curves displaced the water, which rippled around the tub before returning to caress the tips of her breasts. He couldn’t stop himself from going hard. What he wouldn’t give to reach in and run his fingertips across the curves and valleys of hervoluptuousbody.
“Are you going to stay?” sheasked.
“You might need me to wash your back,” he saidhopefully.
She smiled and grabbed a bar of soap. After running it up and down one arm, she switched to the other. Mesmerized by her movements, he leaned one hip against the wall and watched. She didn’t seem to mind his presence. If anything, she was intentionally trying to rilehimup.
As she lathered her hair, thick soap bubbles trailed down from the top of her head. The scent of honey filled the room. He shoved his hands into his pockets. She was clearly trying to test him. She wanted him. He read it in the way she arched her back as she passed the bar of soap across one breast before sliding it between her slightly partedthighs.
The taste of her lingered on his lips as if he’d just kissed her liquid center. His tongue swiped across his bottom lip. As he swelled with desire, his rock-hard cock pressed against his jeans. If he hadn’t been so chivalrous the other day, he’d have no problem dragging her out of the bathtub and onto his cock. But he wasn’t that kind of man. He wouldn’t take advantage of herinnocence.
She tilted her head to one side before half-closing her eyes. Ugh, she wasn’t playing fair. Even if she’d never had sex, she sure as hell had figured out how to drive a man crazy. If he didn’t leave the room soon, his bear’s bad behavior would get him into all kinds oftrouble.
As he backed toward the door, she raised a brow. “Goingsomewhere?”
“I’ll wait for yououtside.”
“I thought you were going to wash my back,”shesaid.
He groaned. How the hell could he resist that invitation? Before he could stop his bear, the beast pushed him forward. After dropping to his knees at the edge of the tub, he took the bar of soap from heroutstretchedhand.
“Make me forget about today,” shewhispered.
“You know I can’tdothat.”
“Why?”
Why?That was a damn good question. Since when did he resist a naked, willing woman? Since never. Against his better judgment, he set the soap on the side of the tub. As he reached for her, shesatup.
Rivulets of water trailed down the valley between her lush breasts. He caressed her shoulder, then slid his hand down to graze the tip of one nipple. The tiny nub instantly responded to his touch, tightening into a taut peak. When he rubbed the pad of his thumb across its twin, shesighed.
“Take me to bed,” shemurmured.
He leaned into the tub and grasped her face between his palms. After searching her eyes, he dropped his gaze to her lips. She closed the distance between them, pressing her lips against his in a kiss hot enough to boil water. He shivered all the way to the tips of his toes. He’d never wanted anyone like this. He craved her touch. Every inch of him wanted to be pressed up against her, but more than anything, he wanted to beinsideher.
When her tongue slid into his mouth, he moaned. Hot, demanding kisses tore at every last thread of his resolve. He’d forgotten why he’d ever wanted to resist her in the firstplace.
The harder she kissed him, the more he needed her. Desperate to feel her skin against his, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to her feet. As he lifted her out of the tub, she wrapped her legs around hiswaist.
